Nature Preserve Tag

It has been an amazing year for wildflowers here in Hickory Nut Gorge with all the rain we have had. Here is a pink lady slipper that appeared recently down by the creek. We've enjoyed seeing trillium, bloodroot, mayapples, wild iris, wild rose, dutchman's britches,...

There is now a new trail head for the Florence Nature Preserve, a 600-acre preserve off of highway 74A in Gerton. The preserve is owned by Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy and is a special treasure in the upper Hickory Nut Gorge. The property was donated to CMLC by Dr. Tom and Glenna Florence, but access to the trail system was along a private property right-of-way.
To improve this access, Hickory Nut Forest Eco-Community is transferring 26 acres to CMLC, so they will have more vehicle parking and a scenic route of entry. Hikers can also use this trailhead to access the Hickory Nut Gorge Trail System which extends down through the gorge.